STUDIO CITY— Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced on Wednesday, July 28 that Efrem Zimbalist Demery 31, who started a fire that killed two people and seriously injured a 15-year-old girl received a sentence of 50 years to life.

“Although the life sentence, in this case, does not bring back the victims, it does hold the defendant accountable for his deadly actions,” said Gascón. “My deepest sympathies go out to the families, whose lives were forever altered by this atrocious crime.”

Demery, a resident of Los Angeles pleaded to one count of arson of a structure and no contest to two counts of murder.

On April 14, 2018, Demery purchased gasoline and a lighter from a gas station across the street from a music studio located in the 3700 block of Cahuenga Boulevard in Studio City.  Inside the music studio were Michael Pollard 30, and Devaughn Carter, 28, who were asleep. The defendant had a verbal confrontation with Pollard and Carter the day before he killed them.

Case LA088204 was investigated by the Los Angeles Police Department.